Arkansas Department of Health

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HIV Counseling & Testing

HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) is an HIV prevention aspect that allows individuals to learn their HIV status through a non-clinical rapid HIV test. HCT can be provided through stand-alone clinics or offered through community-based approaches. HCT is designed to motivate individuals to know their status and encourage others to do the same. HCT explores options for changing behaviors in order to prevent the acquisition and transmission of HIV, reduce anxiety over possible infection, facilitate safe disclosure of status, future planning, and improve access to HIV prevention and treatment services.

To become a Certified HIV Counselor, a candidate must:

1. Register for the course
2. Attend the HIV HCT course in its entirety.

Note: Course participation is a vital component of the HIV HCT training, and any participant who misses any portion of the course in excess of fifteen minutes will be withdrawn from the course.

3. After completion of the course, the participant completes a Post-Course Knowledge Assessment
4. Upon return to their respective organizations, the participants use the new counseling techniques and undergo Counseling Reviews by qualified staff members who have successfully gone through the training using the HIV Counseling and Testing Review Checklist (CD: STD-38).

HIV Counseling & Testing (HCT) Training Calendar for 2022:

• Feb 23rd-25th
  • Feb. 18th is the registration deadline.
• April 27th - 29th
  • April 22nd is the registration deadline.
• June 22nd-24th
  • June 15th is the registration deadline.
• August 24th-26th
  • August 17th is the registration deadline.
• October 26th-28th
  • October 19th is the registration deadline."

Due to COVID, the class size has been cut in half. Registration is limited and is on a first come first serve basis.  Slots tend to fill rather quickly and typically before the registration deadline.

If you are interested in attending an HCT class or have any questions, please contact Darrien Adams at darrien.adams@arkansas.gov or 501-661-2033.